For the last two years, the Yale men’s lacrosse team has started its Ivy League season with losses to Cornell and Princeton and then turned it on, rolling through its final four league games and then winning the Ivy tournament (avenging its loss to Princeton in the final both times) and earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. Last year, Yale won its first NCAA game before losing in the last minute to Syracuse in the quarterfinals.In the last two seasons, Yale was a combined 5-6 before its loss to Princeton in the regular season and then a combined 18-3 after its loss to Princeton in the regular season. Factor out the NCAA tournament, and Yale is 17-1 the last two years after playing Princeton the first time. The Bulldogs opened their 2014 Ivy League season with an 11-9 loss to Cornell last weekend. Still, don’t look for Yale to lose to Princeton on purpose when the Tigers visit Reese Stadium this weekend, just to set up the same scenario that’s worked so well the last two years.No, this one is hardly going to be easy for Princeton. Yale, who has been ranked in the Top 10 this season, is like Princeton in that it has legitimate hopes of making a run deep into May. This is a big game for both teams, and it figures to be close, tight and ultimately an important victory for the winner. If recent history is any indicator, then yes, this game will be close.

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The 2014 Princeton-Yale game doesn’t figure to be as long as the last visit by the Tigers to Reese Stadium. Back in 2012, Princeton defeated Yale 10-9 in five overtimes in what was the longest game in the history of either program.Alex Capretta scored the game-winner for the Tigers.The last two regular-season Princeton-Yale games were both 10-9 Princeton wins. A year ago at Sherrerd Field, Mike MacDonald and Tom Schreiber had four-point days, Matt O’Connor made a huge save on Yale defenseman Michael McCormack, Mark Strabo had a caused turnover in the last minute and Hunter deButts came up with a possession-saving ground ball with 28 seconds left as Princeton won.In fact, every regular-season Princeton-Yale game since Chris Bates became head coach has been a one-goal game. The Tigers defeated Yale 7-6 in 2010 and lost 8-7 in overtime on Brandon Mangan’s goal in 2011.Yale won the two Ivy League championship games 15-7 and 12-8.

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You cannot talk about Princeton and Yale without talking about face-offs. It’s been that way for more than a decade.In the last 12 meetings between the teams, Yale has won 165 of 248 face-offs, which comes to .665. There have been days where Yale has probably had the ball more than 80% of the time, most especially on two occasions. In 2005, Yale’s Dan Kallaugher won 17 of 20 face-offs, including all 13 in the final three quarters, in a 9-8 Yale win.And then there was last year’s Ivy final. Yale’s Dylan Levings won 20 of 24 face-offs to earn tournament MVP honors, in much the same way that Duke’s Brendan Fowler would do at the Final Four. In five career games against Princeton, Levings is 54 for 88 (.614), while matching up with seven different face-off men for Princeton - Bobby Lucas, Peter Smyth, Jake Froccaro, Jeff Froccaro, Jonathan Meyers, Tom Gibbons and Justin Murphy.The last of those listed, Murphy, has taken 122 of Princeton’s 166 face-offs and won 68, for a .557 percentage that ranks third in the league. Levings? He currently ranks seventh in the league, having won .510 (53 for 104). Murphy is 13 for 31 against Yale in his career, all of which have been against Levings. Murphy has had two decidedly different outings against Levings, going 13 for 22 at Sherrerd Field last year in the win and 0 for 9 in the Ivy final.

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Princeton has played Yale more than any other opponent. The meeting Saturday will be the 98th all-time between the teams, and Princeton holds a 72-23-2 lead in the series.Princeton and Yale first met on Oct. 14, 1882.

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Yale leads the Ivy League and is eighth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 7.8 goals per game. Princeton is second in the Ivy League and 12th nationally in scoring offense, with 12.5 goals per game. Princeton and Yale are also the two best man-down teams in the Ivy League and the two teams in the league who have committed the fewest penalties.

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Princeton scored 14 goals on 42 shots against Villanova, for a .333 shooting percentage - and had its season percentage drop. Princeton is shooting .339 as a team, which would be the best single-season percentage by the Tigers since the 2004 Final Four team shot .348. The best single-season shooting percentage since Chris Bates became head coach was .304, in 2012.Princeton’s top three goal scorers are Tom Schreiber, Mike MacDonald and Kip Orban, who combined are shooting 41 for 104, or .394.

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Matt O’Connor played the second half only of the first three games and has since started and played all of the game against North Carolina and Penn and the first 51 minutes against Villanova. In the three games he’s started, O’Connor has made a total of 11 first-half saves and 24 second-half saves. His first half save percentage in the last three games is .458; his second-half save percentage is .585.

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Kip Orban has scored at least one goal in each of his last 19 games. It is the longest current streak by a Division I midfielder. Mike MacDonald has at least one goal in each of his last 16 games. Both he and Orban have at least one point in every game the last two season, a total of 21 games.Tom Schreiber has at least three points in 22 straight games and at least one point in 38 straight games. That streak is also the longest in Division I by a midfielder.

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Tom Schreiber has 93 career goals and 84 career assists. He is one of 11 players in Ivy League history - and the only one from Princeton - with at least 90 career goals and 80 career assists.Schreiber is also the only midfielder among the 11.The complete list: From Cornell - Rob Pannell (150/204), Mike French (191/105), Eamon McEneaney (92/164).From Brown - David Evans (145/87), Darren Lowe (205/111), Tom Gagnon (109/99). From Harvard - Mike Eckert (91/152), Grady Watts (96/145). From Yale - Mike Devlin (94/89). From Penn - Andy Crofton (109/86).

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Princeton has four players who have started every game of their careers: sophomores Jake Froccaro and Mark Strabo and freshmen Bear Goldstein and Will Reynolds.Princeton starts Strabo - who started all 15 games last year - and the two freshmen on defense. In the last 15 years, the only other defensemen to start Game 1 as a freshman were Damien Davis, Dan Cocoziello and Chad Wiedmaier, all of whom were first-team All-Americas as seniors.* * *

What Can You Say About ...

Ryan Ambler #14 • starter on attack • third on the team in assists and points • has tied his career high of five points three times in six games (Penn, Hopkins, Hofstra) • had a career-high four goals, plus an assist, against Penn • had career-high five assists in the win over Hofstra • had two goals and three assists against Hopkins • had a goal and assist against North Carolina • had a goal and assist against Manhattan • had 11 goals and 17 assists as a freshman • started 13 of 15 games a year ago, missing games against Rutgers and Dartmouth due to injury • father Bob is the all-time leading scorer at Drexel Alex Beatty #36 • was the team’s No. 1 longstick midfielder in 2013 • is moving to close defense for 2014, but has been out with an injury • played against Villanova for first appearance of the year • was second on the team in caused turnovers in 2013 with nineZach Currier #25 • scored first career goal in the win over Manhattan • is playing on the second midfield • was ranked as the No. 5 incoming freshman by Inside LacrosseHunter DeButts #47 • has moved from attack to the offensive midfield to defensive midfield in his career • had a goal and two caused turnovers against Villanova • had a caused turnover and three ground balls against Penn • had 12 ground balls and six caused turnovers in 2013 • also had three goals and two assistsNick Fernandez #24 • had an assist (first of his career) and three caused turnovers against Johns Hopkins • had an assist against Villanova • had a caused turnover and two ground balls against Penn • started every game on defense in 2013 • moved back to shortstick defensive midfield for 2014 • selected by the Denver Outlaws in the sixth round (46th pick overall) in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse draftJake Froccaro #10 • 2013 Ivy League Rookie of the Year • 2013 honorable mention All-Ivy League • had a career-high six points against Villanova (three goals, three assists) • had six points against Villanova after having seven for the first five games • had a goal and assist against Carolina and Penn • had a goal against Johns Hopkins • had two goals against Manhattan • had 24 goals and 10 assists as a freshman • tied for third all-time - and first among midfielders - in goals by a Princeton freshman • he and Peter Trombino are the only Princeton freshmen ever to have at least 20 goals and 10 assistsBear Goldstein #34 • starter on defense • had two caused turnovers against North Carolina • along with fellow freshman Will Reynolds marked the first time since Kurt Lunkenheimer and John Harrington in 1996 that Princeton started two freshman on defense in the first game of a season • ranked as the No. 97 incoming recruit by Inside Lacrosse • two-time high school All-AmericaSam Gravitte #17 • No. 2 longstick midfielder • won 3 of 8 face-offs against Hofstra • all-state lacrosse and football player • both parents are actors; mother won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in “Jerome Robbins Broadway” • has played Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables”Adam Hardej #16 • has played offensive midfield and shortstick defensive midfield • had one caused turnover against Hofstra • led his league in assists last year with 52Brian Kavanagh #44 • started and played first half of first three games • made first career start against Hofstra, with 10 saves and six goals-against • made seven saves in second quarter, when Hofstra outshot Princeton 18-3 • made six saves while allowing three goals against Manhattan • played 29:40 for his first three years combined • played 14:07 in two games in 2013, with a .500 save percentage and 8.50 goals-againstMike MacDonald #8 • has 115 career points (78G, 37A), tied for 23rd-best all-time at Princeton • seven to tie Jeff Froccaro for 22nd • ranks 21st all-time at Princeton with 78 career goals; would move up four more spots with eight goals • leads team in assists and is second in points and goals • leads the Ivy League in assists per game and is third in points per game, as well as seventh in goals per game • had nearly 25% of his career assists (nine of 37) in the games against North Carolina and Penn • had two goals and career-high five assists against Penn • named Ivy League Player of the Week after seven-point game against Penn • had four goals - all in the first half - against Villanova • had a career-high four assists against Carolina • had four goals and one assist against Hofstra • had a goal and two assists against Manhattan • had a goal and assist against Johns Hopkins • has at least one goal in 16 straight games and at least one point in 21 straight games • 2014 Tewaaraton Trophy watchlist • 2013 first-team All-Ivy League • 2013 honorable mention All-America • had 43 goals in 2013, the sixth-best single-season total in school history and the most by a Princeton player since Chris Massey had 45 in 1997 • had 65 career goals through two years, leaving him third at Princeton in goals after sophomore year, along with Jesse Hubbard and Chris Massey, who rank 1-2 all-time at Princeton in goalsGavin McBride #37 • freshman who started on attack against Johns Hopkins and has played on the second midfield and man-up units • had 46 goals and 21 assists as a senior at HaverfordJustin Murphy #32 • has won 68 of 122 face-offs this season • has taken 122 of team’s 162 face-offs • won 10 of 17 face-offs and had seven ground balls against Villanova • was 16 for 31 face-offs with eight ground balls against Penn • won 13 of 23 face-offs with eight ground balls, as well as first career goal, against Johns Hopkins • won 11 of 22 face-offs against North Carolina, including 11 of his final 18 • won 8 of 12 face-offs against Manhattan • won 10 of 17 face-offs against Hofstra • won 111 of 218 face-offs (.509) a year ago • took 218 of the team’s 380 face-offs a year agoJack O’Brien #29 • won 6 of 11 face-offs against Manhattan • won 3 of 6 against VillanovaMatt O’Connor #11 • had a career-high 13 saves against Penn, including nine in the second half • made first start of the season, played the entire game and made 12 saves against North Carolina • made 10 saves while allowing five goals against Villanova • has made 35 saves in the last three games, of which 26 have come in the second half • played the second half against Hofstra and Johns Hopkins and most of the second half against Manhattan • made save in the final minute against Hofstra to keep it a two-goal game in 12-10 win • is also second on the team in caused turnovers with six • started the first 11 games in goal last year • had a .517 save percentage • became the third Princeton goalie in the last 25 years to start Game 1 of his freshman year (Scott Bacigalupo in 1991, Tyler Fiorito in 2009)Kip Orban #13 • has at least one goal in 19 straight games (longest current streak on the team) and at least one point in 21 straight games • goal-scoring streak of 19 straight games is longest current streak in Division I by a midfielder • third on the team in goals with 11 • had two goals against Penn, both of which came during 4-0 run after Penn had made it a one-goal game late in the third quarter • had three goals against North Carolina • had two goals and one assist against Hofstra • had two goals against Manhattan • had a goal against Johns Hopkins • 2013 second-team All-Ivy League selection • Ivy League all-tournament team selection • had 27 goals and eight assists in 2013 • is one of three Princeton midfielders in the last 25 years to reach at least 27 goals as a sophomore (Tom Schreiber, Josh Sims) • had at least one point in every game • had the game-winning goal in the Ivy League semifinal against Cornell in overtimeDerick Raabe #5 • leads team with nine caused turnovers • second on the team with 28 ground balls • had seven ground balls and two caused turnovers against Penn • had six ground balls and two caused turnovers against North Carolina • had four caused turnovers and five ground balls against Johns Hopkins • had team-best five ground balls against Hofstra • had three ground balls and one caused turnover against Manhattan • team tri-captain • started all 15 games on defense in 2013 • 2013 second-team All-Ivy League selection • moved back from defense to longstick midfield, where he primarily played his first two years • led team with 73 ground balls and 10 CT in 2013 • had the most ground balls in a season by a Princeton player since Matt Bailer had 95 in 1997Will Reynolds #4 • starter on close defense • was ranked as the No. 7 incoming freshman by Inside LacrosseWill Rotatori #27 • starter on attack • had a goal against North Carolina and Villanova • had two goals against Hofstra in first career start • both goals against Hofstra came during 8-1 run as Princeton erased four-goal deficit • had a goal against Manhattan • had two goals and three assists a year agoEric Sanschagrin #31 • started the last four games of the 2013 season • made 12 saves in both games against Cornell • of his 12 saves in the Ivy semifinal win over Cornell, 10 came in the second halfTom Schreiber #22 • team tri-captain • No. 1 selection in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse draft, by the Ohio Machine • 2012, 2013 first-team All-America • 2013 Tewaaraton Trophy finalist • 2014 Tewaaraton Trophy watchlist • three-time first-team All-Ivy League selection; only three players (Cornell’s Rob Pannell and Max Siebald and Princeton’s Chad Wiedmaier) have ever been four-time first-team All-Ivy League selections • 2011 Ivy League Rookie of the Year • has led team in points and assists all three seasons • led team in goals and assists as a freshman and sophomore; is the only Princeton player ever to do so • leads team in goals and points and is second in assists • leads the Ivy League in points per game • is second in the Ivy league in goals per game and points per game • had three goals and two assists against Villanova • had four goals and an assist against Penn • had three goals against Johns Hopkins • had three goals and two assists in win over Hofstra to earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors • had a goal and four assists against Manhattan • currently seventh all-time at Princeton with 178 career points; five to tie David Heubeck for sixth • is seventh all-time at Princeton with 85 career assists; needs four to tie Charles Stillwell for sixth • has 93 career goals and 85 career assists • only Princeton player ever with at least 90 goals and 80 assists • has at least three points in every game to date this season, every game last season and in the final game of the 2012 season, a streak of 22 straight games • has at least three points in 42 of 48 career games • has at least one point in 38 straight games, the fifth-longest current streak in Division I and the longest current streak by any Division I midfielder • one of 20 candidates for the Senior Class Award • father Doug, who played at Maryland and won an NCAA title there in 1973 and then the 1974 World Championship with the U.S., is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of FameTucker Shanley #7 • returned to the midfield after missing all but two minutes of the 2013 season due to injuries • had a goal against North Carolina and Villanova • had a goal and assist against Hofstra • had two goals against Manhattan • had 20 goals and eight assists in 2012 • started nine games in 2012Forest Sonnenfeldt #2 • missed all of 2013 with injuries • had a goal against Penn • had three goals against Manhattan, including two extra-man • scored 19 goals and had six assists in 2012 • has started on attack and played midfield and has been an important presence on the extra-an unitJack Strabo #35 • team tri-captain • first-line shortstick defensive middie for the fourth straight year • had a goal against Penn • had four ground balls against Hofstra • had an assist against Manhattan • Academic All-Ivy League selectionMark Strabo #3 • has started every game of his career • had a caused turnover against Hofstra and Manhattan • started all 15 games a year ago on defense • one of six freshmen in the last 15 years to start every game on defense as a freshman; the three who graduated (Chad Wiedmaier, Dan Cocoziello, Damien Davis) were all first-team All-Americas as seniors, while the other two (Bear Goldstein, Will Reynolds) are current freshmen